The present invention generally relates to unitary garment accessories. More specifically, the present invention concerns a device utilized to enhance fastening the top button of a shirt in a facile manner. The buttoned shirt presenting a fashionable xe2x80x9cdressyxe2x80x9d appearance.
Advanced age, illness or injury causes many people to lose normal flexibility in their fingers. This lack of flexibility often makes fastening the top button of a dress shirt a difficult if not impossible problem. An uncomplicated device that would provide a simple and inexpensive solution to the aforesaid problem would surely be a welcome addition to the art. Additionally, the device should provide an assembled collar arrangement which is neat in appearance.
The prior art is rife with devices for enhancing the insertion of buttons into buttonholes. For example U.S. Pat. Nos. Des. 27,252 (Hasket), Des. 31,433 (Clarkson) and Des. 33,159 (Yoder) show devices for opening buttonholes prior to insertion of the button. It should be noted that these devices all require a fair amount of manual dexterity.
U.S. Pat. No. 141,484 (Brientnall) discloses a fastening device for the out-of-fashion paper collar.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,074,905 (Smith) and 1,205,663 (Reid) show button devices utilized on collar styles which were fashionable in the decade from 1910-20. The button device of the instant patent could not be used with modern day shirt collars.
A device for holding the ends of a soft collar in place is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,343,096 (Speyer). The patent does not disclose any structure to aid in fastening a shirt-collar button.
The invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,558,370 (Kelly) is drawn to a stud for a banded collar.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,060,643 (Steele) shows a device for holding a buttons and buttonholes in matched relation, but in an unbuttoned or partially buttoned state.
A device used to expand tight collars is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,983,006 (Schafer). The device appears to require at least the same amount of manipulation as required in a normal collar-buttoning procedure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,127,651 (Foose et al.) shows a device used to fasten a suit or sport jacket. The size of the patented device would prohibit its use on a shirt collar.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to disclose a button latch for a dress shirt as will subsequently be described and claimed in the instant invention.
The present invention is drawn to a device to facilitate fastening of the sometimes difficult top button of shirt collars especially collars of dress shirts. As indicated above, the button latch of the instant invention can be advantageously utilized persons with limited manual dexterity to enable such persons quickly and easily fasten (and unfasten) top shirt-collar buttons.
As presently contemplated, the button latch member comprised a unitary structure one end of which is adapted to be sewn to buttonhole placket at the top of the shirt. The other end of the latch member is on attached to the shirt and is fashioned as a hook and is adapted to engage the shirt""s top button. The design of the button latch makes fastening and unfastening the top button considerably easier than manipulating the button through the buttonhole, thus requiring much less finger flexibility. A necktie will adequately conceal the button latch.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention that provide a device for facilitating the fastening and unfastening the top button of a dress shirt.
It is a further object to provide such device wherein a first portion of the device is sewn to the shirt and a second portion (having a button hole therein) is unattached from the shirt until the button is inserted in the button hole.
It is another object of the invention to provide a device for facilitating the fastening and unfastening of the top button of dress shirt, which device requires a minimum amount of manual dexterity.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a device for facilitating the fastening and unfastening of the top button of a dress shirt, which device is simplistic in design.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a device for facilitating the fastening and unfastening of the top button of a dress shirt, which device may be easily attached to the dress shirt.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in a device for the purposes described which are inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing their intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.